The History of Dallas Plumbing Company:
Family Owned and Operated for Over 100 Years
Welcome to Our Library
We were pleased to be counted among a handful of companies celebrating their 100th year in 2003. Our long history is underscored by the fact that the company is also now under the family management of the 3rd and 4th generations of early owners. The company continues in the business tradition of quality workmanship and superior service handed down to us.
General Press Release in PDF format-Click here
100th Anniversary Photo Gallery
The
above will open our 100th photo gallery in a new browser window for
your review. Many other images are also available. High resolution
digital files in TIFF format are available for each on CD. If you
prefer hard-copy prints, please call Jack Andrews at 469-330-9122.
A Brief History of Dallas Plumbing Company
It started in 1903. That was the same year the Wright brothers launched their maiden flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina and Ford Motor Company was officially
incorporated with Henry Ford as Vice President and Chief Engineer. The
year was 1903. That year, Dallas Plumbing Company was born 
and
soon after Ward Downs began serving the plumbing needs of Dallas
customers from his horse-drawn wagon. As the city grew, so did the
opportunities for Dallas Plumbing Company.
From that early beginning, Dallas Plumbing Company has survived and thrived as the oldest plumbing company in the area, spanning four generations of family ownership in two millennia. The company has helped construct some of the most prominent homes and structures in Texas. In 1934, Dallas was selected host city for the Texas Centennial Exposition, celebrating the state's independence from Mexico. Among a labor force of 8000 workers, Dallas Plumbing Company helped build what is now the nation's largest collection of Art Deco buildings and now a National Historic Landmark.
In Highland Park and the Park Cities, the company originated plumbing and heating in many of the cities landmark homes, serving these communities from the Dallas Plumbing Company location on McKinney Avenue. Another significant landmark, Highland Park Village, was a Dallas Plumbing Company project in 1931. The Spanish style center remains a local and visitor shopping venue in the heart of Highland Park. Here, the company still serves many of the families now living in the original homes, in addition to renovation, remodeling and new construction in the Park Cities.
During World War II, Dallas Plumbing helped build structures to support our armed services, while still serving residences and businesses in the Dallas area. After the war, Lt. Fred Downs became the second generation leader at the company. In 1981, son Johnny became the third generation Downs family member to head Dallas Plumbing Company. Today, over 100 years later, the third and fourth generations of the Downs family continue to own and operate the company.
Dallas
Plumbing Company currently serves Dallas, Collin and Tarrant County
commercial and residential customers from the company's headquarters in
northeast Dallas.
